Pledge of Justice
by ItReignsJustice-619
Summary: After everything he's put her through, Roman wants to prove his love to Karolina. A trip to Germany is what he has in mind. Two-shot. Sequel to "Please protect me from injustice", "The eye of justice is always watching", "Will justice prevail!", "Justice has been served", "The sweet taste of justice", "Justice always wins", "What's mine is yours" & "The mystery of justice".
1. Part 1

**Title: Pledge of Justice**

 **By: ItReignsJustice-619**

 **Rating: NC-17, sexual content, adult themes, language**

 **Characters: Roman Reigns x OC, Dean Ambrose x OC, Seth Rollins x OC**

 _Summary: After everything he's put her through, Roman wants to prove his love to Karolina. A trip to Germany is what he has in mind. Two-shot. Sequel to "Please protect me from injustice", "The eye of justice is always watching", "Will justice prevail?!", "Justice has been served", "The sweet taste of justice", "Justice always wins", "What's mine is yours" & "The mystery of justice"._

 **Disclaimer: I do not know or own any of the people in this story who are not born of my imagination. The characters of the WWE superstars are based off of their TV personas. I prefer to use their gimmick names and not their real-life names as I personally think that this seems to be easier for everyone to read.**

Here you can find the links to the original stories:

"Please protect me from injustice" ( s/9046424/1/Please-protect-me-from-injustice),

"The eye of justice is always watching" ( s/9483245/1/The-eye-of-justice-is-always-watching)

"Will justice prevail?!" ( s/9572393/1/Will-justice-prevail)

"Justice has been served" ( s/9856895/1/Justice-has-been-served)

"The sweet taste of justice" ( s/10139709/1/The-sweet-taste-of-justice)

"Justice always wins" (s/10274034/1/Justice-always-wins)

"What's mine is yours" ( s/10877443/1/What-s-mine-is-yours) and "The mystery of justice" ( s/11623264/1/The-mystery-of-justice) .

 _Thanks SO much for the support you've given me for all the stories of this series. You guys are amazing._

…  
 **  
** _ **I can't let go of them…I simply can't. Maybe I should. Or shouldn't I? Ugh…who am I trying to fool? lol**_

 _ **Okay, don't get your hopes up, folks. This is short and sweet. I wish I had the time to write another long-ass story, but work is not allowing me to do so. I know, it sucks. Maybe somebody should tell my boss to give me at least 30 to 60 minutes a day that I could use to write write write :D**_

 _ **Enough of my babbling…onto the 'story'. Enjoy, my friends!**_

…

Chapter 1

"It's not like they don't provide you with any snacks on the plane, babe. Do we really have to do this now? We're already running late," Karolina sighed in annoyance, softy dragging Leni into _Walmart_ by her hand while Roman was carrying a very tired Siaki on his left arm.

"We're flying with _Lufthansa_ , babygirl. I'm quite certain they don't have those Doritos I'm craving for right now," Roman teased, winking at her with a mischievous smirk on his face.

"PMS much?" she smiled at him sweetly, grinning when he mouthed the words 'Fuck you' to her.

"Can I have chocolate?" Leni mumbled sleepily, interrupting her parents' playful banter, rubbing her tired eyes.

Both Leni and Siaki were drowsy and exhausted. The excitement of going on a plane and flying to their mother's hometown in Germany had not allowed them to fall asleep until the early morning hours.

"It's too early for chocolate now, sweetheart. And we don't want it to melt, now do we?" Karolina asked her oldest rhetorically, hugging her into her side gently.

"But why can daddy have Doritos then? That's not fair," she questioned, looking up at her mother expectantly, innocently batting her long eyelashes.

Karolina closed her eyes for a brief moment, trying to collect herself. She gazed at her husband pleadingly, hoping that he would have a proper and reasonable explanation for their little daughter but when she saw the look of desperation in his eyes, she knew there simply was none.

"You know what? Since it's the first day of our vacation, everybody can pick something of their choosing. Now how does that sound?" Karolina offered, chuckling when both her children _and_ her husband squealed in delight. He was such a goofball sometimes.

Roman quickly let go of Siaki when he became fussy in his arms, both Leni and him running ahead to the candy aisle, leaving the parents alone.

"This is your fault, Reigns," she admonished the father of her kids, wagging her right index finger at him, yelping when he bit it blandly. "Ouch, that hurt."

"That's for bruising my back last night, sweetheart," he whispered seductively, brushing her lips in a chaste kiss with his own. "I hope you packed that ointment for me. We don't want this to leave marks on me, do we?"

"Maybe we do," she retorted innocently yet self-confidently, looking deep into his eyes, raising an eyebrow when he grinned at her whimsically.

"We were running late, weren't we, Mrs Reigns?" he asked out of nowhere, momentarily ruining the intense moment between them, but not without winking at her provocatively a second later.

When he turned around to catch up with his children, he ruggedly bumped into someone, catching them just in time before they could fall. But the very moment he realized who it was, he immediately let go, almost pushing them away ungently.

The world was standing still. He could hear no sound, everything around him turning blurry and dark. He felt sick to his stomach.

 _Cassandra._

"Karolina? Let's go...we need to hurry up," he stuttered nervously, his voice hoarse and barely above a whisper.

When he turned to face his wife, with horror and anxiety reflecting in his eyes, all colour had drained from her face, making her look sick and fragile. He couldn't believe this was happening to them. Not now, not ever.

"Karolina...," he urged her impatiently, taking one of her hands into his, trying to turn her focus on him and away from Cassandra.

There was an inexplicable tension between the two women, both of them staring at each other indifferently, none of them saying a word and holding their respective breaths.

It had been two months since Roman and Karolina reconciled. And so far, everything appeared to run smoothly. Now, in a matter of seconds, all of this seemed to take a completely different turn.

The air was so thick it could be cut with a knife, animosity radiating off both the women's bodies with Roman caught in the middle. He was helpless, desperate even. He felt uncomfortable seeing Cassie, but that was nothing compared to what he felt when he looked at his wife. Anguish and fear were dictating his breathing, his heartbeat. He was lost in the moment, lost in the pain he realized he had caused both these women.

"Mommy, Daddy, can I please have two things? Pretty pretty please...I can't decide what I want more...I promise I will neeeever eeeever ask again...," Leni yelled from far away, running toward her parents, Siaki in tow a little behind.

That woke Karolina from her state of trance, her heart bumping so loud that she could hear it in her own ears. She didn't want the woman across from her to see or even feel any of this. She wanted to come across as self-confident and unfazed.

Yes, Cassandra was the woman that tried to _steal_ her man from her. And as stupid as some people might think Karolina was for doing so, but she took Roman back after he tried everything in his power to make things right between them again. She believed that everybody deserved a second chance.

"Okay...," Karo replied firmly after having taken a deep breath, eventually breaking eye contact with Cassandra before glancing at Roman for a split second and turning to her children with a soft yet fake smile plastered on her face. "It's an exception though. You do know that, right? Let's go now...we need to hurry up. The plane's not going to wait for us slowpokes."

And with that she left with their children, leaving Roman alone with Cassandra, an awkward silence between them.

He kept staring at the floor for what felt like an eternity. It felt as if he was frozen in place, not being able to move. What had just transpired between the three of them, he couldn't put into words. It appeared to have thrown them back a couple of steps in their process of trusting each other again. And it wasn't even his fault this time.

"Roman...," Cassandra said softly several moments later, cautiously touching his arm with her fingertips, startled when he flinched, pulling his arm away abruptly.

"There's nothing to talk about, Cassandra," he snapped, annoyed at himself, at her and the whole situation in itself. "I...sorry...I've gotta go."

He didn't even glance back at her, running off, as fast as he could, hoping to catch up with his little family but they were out of sight already, leaving him with a heavy heart in his chest.

He never wanted this to happen. He was hoping that he would never see her again. That Karo would never see her again. But who was he trying to fool? They were living in the same city. There would always be that possibility to clash.

As soon as he left the supermarket, he could see his wife buckle up their youngest, making sure that he was safe. He loved that about her. The way she cared for them all, giving them their unconditional love without asking for anything in return. He didn't deserve her. He knew that he really didn't.

"I didn't want this to happen," Roman muttered dejected the moment Karo closed Siaki's car door, both kids out of earshot now. "I'm so sorry."

"I know, Roman. It's...you know...what am I supposed to say?" she wondered aloud, sighing heavily while running a shaky hand through her long blond hair, the question not directed at anyone in particular. "Seeing her was not something I was looking forward to. I mean...who am I trying to fool? It still fucking hurts. And it makes me angry, too. But it's in the past. We're living in the present. And you are my future. You and these crazy ass kids who just can't seem to stop knocking on that damn window."

She turned to look at her kids in the car and made a silly face, knowing that they were trying to grab their parents' attention, both of them now laughing hysterically at their mother's antics.

"I don't deserve you," he finally spoke out what kept running through his head, gently grabbing her by the hips and pulling her close, not letting his children distract him. "You're so selfless and generous. I couldn't ask for a better wife. And these crazy ass kids you're talking about? They have the most beautiful and caring mother anybody could wish for."

He parted his lips to continue praising her but she stopped him tenderly by pressing her index finger on his lips, smiling at him reassuringly, but the smile was not quite reaching her eyes.

"Shh, don't. It's okay. Let it go, Roman," she pleaded with him, knowing that he was continuously burdening himself with the pain and weight of betraying his family over and over again, but if she was willing to move past all of this, then so should he. "We really need to go now though...you know we're..."

"Running late? Yes," he swiftly replied, pecking her lips quickly before grabbing the car keys from her, looking at her hopefully. "I hope you still bought those Doritos for me."

 **...**

A 12-hour flight with two small children was never a walk in the park. That was another lesson that both Roman and Karolina had just learned.

They landed in Munich/Germany about an hour before, the time difference of 7 hours taking its toll on them all, so Karo was grateful that Roman had offered to read their kids a bedtime story while she unpacked a couple of things that they would need for the next morning.

They were expected at her parents' house for lunch the following day, this being the first time Bettina and Herbert would see their son-in-law after everything that had happened between him and their daughter. They had promised Karo faithfully not to judge him. She even begged them not to address the issue – at all. She wanted this to be a happy and peaceful family vacation. It was time to finally move on.

Karolina stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes landed on Roman's cell phone. He had thrown it on the bed aimlessly before carrying their kids to the adjacent hotel bedroom, probably not thinking much about it.

She closed her eyes tightly for a brief moment, taking a deep and heavy breath. A glance back at the closed door reassured her that Roman was still busy putting their children to bed, the nagging voice in her head urging her not to do it, but her fingers were faster than her brain, making her grab the phone nervously, clutching it in her hands tightly.

She swallowed hard when she swept her index finger across the display, unlocking his phone effortlessly. He hadn't even put a code lock on his iPhone, which surprised her.

She kept telling herself to stop, to trust him and not to control him, but she had no power over herself, her motions automatic, like she was a robot. Her eyes scanned his apps, instantly finding his Pic Gallery which she swiftly opened, not even thinking about it twice.

Pictures of her, their kids and their little family caught her eye, another one of Dean, Seth and him, probably on the road, all of them holding up a bottle of beer, cheesy grins on their faces. She scrolled through his camera roll, but there was nothing suspicious or even disturbing. Nothing that would give away that he was still unfaithful to her.

But what about his text messages? Should she check them as well? That was a rhetorical question because she certainly knew that she shouldn't. They were working on rebuilding their trust in each other. But she just couldn't help it. The uncertainty and insecurity, especially after running into Cassandra just before their departure, had reached its peak and she had no control over her actions any longer.

 _Dean, Seth, Babygirl, Mom, Hunter, Shan, ..._

"What are you doing, Karolina?" a deep, raspy voice ended her snoopery in an instant, her breath caught in her throat, tears immediately forming in her big, blue eyes. "Karolina..."

She didn't have the guts to turn around, didn't have the courage to face him and look him in the eyes. She was embarrassed. And disappointed – in herself. It was her who kept promising him that she was okay, that she was willing to trust him again. Yet here she was, breaking that promise as if it meant nothing. She was at a loss for words.

She felt his hands on her shoulders, a lump forming in her throat when he gently turned her around, his cell phone still in her shaky hands.

He lifted her chin with his index finger, urging her softly to look at him, but her eyes still wouldn't meet his.

"Look at me, babygirl," he pleaded, his voice soft and barely above a whisper.

The moment he caught her with his phone in her hands, he was mad. Mad at her for not trusting him, for lying to him. He was mad that she would something like this, mad at her for snooping around and for intruding into his privacy. But then, in a matter of seconds, he knew that she wasn't even to blame. That he was the one that was responsible for her insecurities and fears.

"I'm sorry," she sniffled, single tears streaming down her face, the look in her eyes reflecting hurt and anxiety. "I shouldn't have. I didn't want to but then I w..."

"Shh, hush...it's okay...," he tried to soothe her, taking the cell phone she was handing him and throwing it back onto the bed carelessly.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders lovingly, his right hand entangling in her hair and massaging her scalp. He pulled her close, her face now pressed against his broad chest.

The way his heart beat steadily against her ear had a calming effect on her, his tender kisses on top of her head reassuring her that he wasn't mad at her.

"Why, Karolina?" he asked warily after several minutes of silence, the only sounds filling the room her heart-wrenching sobs, shaking her whole body.

He gently let go of her, softly breaking their embrace. He looked at her expectantly after taking a small step back, his heart breaking for her when he saw her blood-shot eyes and puffy cheeks.

"I don't know...I can't even explain...I...God...," she stuttered anxiously, rubbing her eyes and wiping her nose with the sleeve of her blouse – very unladylike, but she currently felt anything but ladylike anyways nor did she really care.

"You still don't trust me," he concluded for her with a heavy sigh, swallowing hard when she immediately broke eye contact, confirming his fears.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured, another sob escaping her lips.

"No, _I'm_ sorry," he whispered, trying hard to suppress the tears from spilling from his own eyes. He had no right to cry, had no right to be pitied for something he was to blame for. "I fucked this up. It's my fault that you can't trust me, that you have doubts. I need to learn and understand that this takes time. How could I even think you could forgive and forget so easily?"

He stopped his monologue abruptly when she suddenly sank down on the edge of the bed, her sobs shaking her whole body uncontrollably, her hands now pulling her hair.

"Karolina...stop it," he urged her, appalled, kneeling down in front of her, taking her hands into his so that she would stop hurting herself. "I am _not_ blaming you. And I'm not going to push you. But we need to be honest with each other if we want this to work. We need to communicate, be open with one another. You can't tell me that you're fine when you're not. As much as I wish I could, I can't read your mind. I don't know how you're feeling. I...I really thought I knew you like the back of my hand, but if you...if you keep doing this, putting on a façade...there's only so much I can do."

Roman was desperate. He wanted his wife back. Body and soul. Maybe they were rushing things after all. Maybe he shouldn't have slept with her that night of their 'first' date. But who was he trying to fool? They both wanted it, needed it. But maybe, just maybe, they should have given each other time to process all of it. Yet here they were, with him moving back into their house a day later, letting their kids and friends know about them reconciling. As if nothing had happened...

"I need help, Roman," Karo admitted breathlessly, her swollen eyes now locking with his once again, desperation evident in her voice. "I can't do this on my own."

He searched her eyes thoughtfully, lifting her right hand softly and kissing each and every knuckle before eventually nodding his head. "Maybe marriage counselling would help us. I...we...yes, maybe that's what we need. You and me both. I want us to do this as a couple. We can work something out. I want to know what I can do to make you feel better, to make you trust me again. Give us a chance, babygirl. We can make this work. I promise."

She remained silent, just staring at him wordlessly, processing what he was trying to tell her. She knew he was right. They needed to do this together, work on their relationship, and rebuild trust. This affected both of them, not only her.

"Yes...yes, I would like to do that," she agreed after a while, nodding her head to emphasize her statement. "As soon as we get back to Pensacola, we should look for a therapist."

Roman buried his hands in her hair, pulling her close, his lips meeting hers in a sensual and loving kiss. He wanted her to feel his love for her, wanted her to know how much she meant to him.

"I don't have anything to hide...not anymore. I swear to God," he vowed in between kisses, his right hand now cupping her cheek, looking deep into her eyes. "You're the only one for me. And I'll prove it to you."

That was all he needed to say before grabbing her by the hips and throwing her back onto the bed, showing her just how much he loved her, the only and most effective way he knew how to right in that very moment: by making love to her.

 **...**

"Mommy, why is there snow on the mountains but not here on the streets?" Leni asked curiously, making Karolina smile.

Roman was driving them to Bettina and Herbert's house with their black Audi A6 Avant rental car, this being the first time that their children were actually visiting Germany, the country their mother was born and raised in.

"These mountains, the Alps, are veeery high, sweetheart. And the higher it is, the colder it gets. Which means it can snow there, even though it is sunny down here," Karo tried to explain, turning around to witness her children's mesmerized eyes when they stared outside the car windows, exploring the environment.

Being in Germany was a completely different world to them. Although they understood German, since Karolina spoke it with them on a regular basis, the surroundings were downright new to them. Leni and Siaki were growing up by the beach and the sea, surrounded by palms and sunny weather. Here they saw snowy mountains, large lakes and enormous forests.

"Can we buy this house, mommy?" Siaki wondered aloud when he caught a glimpse of a castle that poked out of the forest in front of them, his tiny index finger pointing forward.

"I wish we could, honey, but this house is a castle. It's called 'Schloss Neuschwanstein' and was built by a King. King Ludwig II, to be exact," she explained proudly, giggling when Siaki's eyes almost popped out of his head when Karo mentioned a King.

"That is SO cool," the little boy shrieked, clapping his hands together excitedly.

Karolina slowly turned back to face Roman when she felt his hand on her left thigh, a content and happy smile on his face.

"What?" she more stated than asked, covering his hand with her own, intertwining their fingers.

"I love this," he immediately replied, glancing over at her for a brief moment. "How you explain your home to them. How they soak up every piece of information you give them. This is part of who they are...they finally understand where you, where _they_ are coming from. Took us long enough to bring them here."

She was about to reply when both Leni and Siaki made gagging noises, the two of them holding their respective nose, grimacing.

"Daddy, can you please open the windows, I think Siaki soiled his nappy," Leni coughed, her eyes watery from the stench.

"No, _you_ did," Siaki yelled, punching his big sister in the arm, making her yelp. "You soiled your nappy. Mommy, tell her I don't need diapers anymore. I'm a big boy already."

Roman and Karolina simultaneously looked at each other, both of them cracking up laughing hysterically. They knew they probably shouldn't laugh, not wanting to hurt their children's feelings, but they just couldn't help it.

"Relax you two, nobody soiled a nappy," Roman panted breathlessly, wiping his eyes with one hand as tears of joy started forming in his eyes, glancing at his kids through the rear-view mirror before he started explaining. "That's the country air. Look at all those cows in the meadow over there. And all those fields where they seed vegetables on the other side. Sometimes that...stinks."

"It certainly does," Karo mumbled to herself, making Roman laugh heartily, a blush gracing her face now. She actually didn't want him to hear that.

Although her parents were now living in the countryside in the south of Germany, she grew up in Bavaria's capital city called Munich. She was a city girl after all. And she definitely didn't like the country air smell either.

"Ugh...I hope it doesn't stink like that in Granny's house," Leni muttered in disgust, wrinkling her nose. If that was the case, she would go back to Pensacola by foot - if she really had to.

"Speaking of Granny's house," Karolina said excitedly after a few more moments, waiting for Roman to turn the corner until her parents' house was finally in sight. "We're here...we're home."


	2. Part 2

**I would like to thank reignsbabee, Kinley Orton-McMahon, Lilygirl95, kj712, BlondieC82, Raquel the writer, lauraxxx, Solosunni, WickedRedRose22, insky5967, Samantha, Shannon5288 and the guests for reviewing the first chapter.**

 **This is the second and final chapter of this shoooort story.**

 **Thank you so much for your love and support. It really means the world to me. Each and every single one of you is amazing. I'm so glad you aren't fed up with my 'Justice series' yet lmao**

 **Until next time… ;-)**

 **...**

Chapter 2

"Are you okay, honey?" Karolina asked softly after knocking on her parents' front door, feeling the uneasiness and anxiety radiating off Roman's body, worrying her.

"Yeah...yes, I'm okay. A little nervous, but it's cool," he instantly replied, trying to convince her with a reassuring smile on his face, but Karo very well knew that it was a fake one.

"Oh my God, look who we have here," Bettina rejoiced the moment she opened the door, opening her arms just in time to catch her grandchildren who excitedly jumped up at her, making her laugh heartily.

Karo tried her hardest to suppress the tears that were threatening to escape her eyes, the sight in front of her making her both happy and sad at the same time. Her children didn't even have the chance to spend nearly enough time with their German grandparents, and that really hurt her heart, because they obviously loved them unconditionally.

"Karolina...," Bettina whispered when Leni and Siaki now decided to shower their grandfather, Herbert, with their love. "Ich habe dich so sehr vermisst."

The second the two women embraced, Karo couldn't help but let the tears finally fall, quiet sobs shaking her whole body lightly. She had missed her mother. The woman she had spoken to nearly on a daily basis when things with her and Roman seemed to fall apart. She would forever be grateful for her mother's support in that very difficult time of her life.

"And Roman...," Bettina spoke under breath, looking at Roman sympathetically when she felt how nervous the younger man seemed to be. "It's so good to see you, too. Come here, honey."

It was as if it took a load off Roman's mind once his mother-in-law embraced him in a tight, loving hug, his eyes closed while a sigh escaped his lips. "Betty, thank you so much for having us."

He cherished this moment to the fullest, relieved that Bettina seemed to have forgiven him for what he had done to her daughter. When he said that he was a little nervous earlier, he straight up lied. He was anxious, fearful even. But now, in this very moment, everything seemed to be right in the world.

The intimate moment was disrupted when someone cleared their throat behind them, making them break the embrace gently with Bettina kissing Roman's cheek before she pinched it softly, making him grin.

"Roman," Herbert grumbled with a deep voice, his daughter still pressed into his side after having hugged her heartily just a few seconds before, a grim expression on his face. "Welcome to Germany."

When Roman wanted to spread his arms to hug his father-in-law, something that had become the norm for them, he was taken aback when he was only offered a hand, breaking his heart into a million pieces.

"Thank you, Herbert," he said hoarsely, his voice barely above a whisper.

He took his hand, shaking it firmly, hardly able to look him in the eyes when he nodded at him in greeting. Like he was some stranger, a nemesis even. Roman looked at Karo unsure, desperation evident in his eyes, but she looked just as shocked, tears welling up in her eyes once again. Her father seemingly wasn't able to forget as fast as her mother did.

"Uhm...yeah...come in, you guys. Lunch is almost done. I hope you're hungry," Bettina stumbled over her words, quickly following Leni and Siaki inside, the kids already exploring the new environment, oblivious to the tension that surrounded them.

"Give him some time, baby. It will be okay. Trust me," Karolina whispered after Herbert had joined the rest of the group inside the house, taking Roman's hand into hers, squeezing it reassuringly.

"I know babygirl. I'm okay, I promise. I was just...shocked," he admitted honestly, smiling at her affirmatively, placing a chaste kiss on her lips. "He has every right to treat me like that. Nobody breaks the heart of his little princess. You know I would totally kill the guy that did anything remotely like that to Leni."

"Karooooo," somebody squealed out of nowhere, Karo's sister Heike running towards the couple at record speed, almost knocking them over in the process. "Ahhhhh."

Roman stood aside, letting the sisters have their moment since they hadn't seen each other in years. It was a beautiful sight, both women hugging and laughing, looking at each other so happily that it made his heart jump for joy.

"And Roman...hrhr...hello there, handsome," she giggled in a very girlish manner, punching her brother-in-law in the arm lightly before embracing him in a tight hug. "It's been a while."

Heike was two years older than Karolina, working as a traveling saleswoman, selling insurances all over Germany. It wasn't something she was necessarily passionate about nor did the job really convince or satisfy her, but it paid her good money and that was all that mattered to her, at least for the moment.

"Will you ever stop flirting with my man, you cheap slut?" Karo teased with a smirk on her face, suddenly squealing when she saw her brother sitting at the dining table of her parents' house. "Oh mein Gott! Maxiiii!"

Maximilian was the oldest out of the bunch, four years older than Karo, and according to their parents the only one with a prestigious job: he was a doctor. A surgeon, to be exact.

"Hey, take it easy, lil' sis," Max quipped when he embraced her in a bone-crushing hug. He hadn't seen her since she got married to Roman all those years ago. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

And unlike his father, Max greeted Roman with a sincere hug, wordlessly patting his back, no words needed between those two. When they faced each other, they nodded their heads in acknowledgment, the look in Maximilian's eyes letting Roman know that he was forgiven, yet it wasn't forgotten. This family, although not seeing each other as much, had a strong bond between one another. They loved and cared for each other a lot. Just like it was supposed to be.

"Who's hungry, who's hungry?" Bettina asked cheerfully, the question not directed at anyone in particular. She was so excited to have her family gathered together again. "Today we're having Schweinshaxe _(knuckle of pork)_ , Semmelknödel _(bread dumplings)_ and Blaukraut _(red cabbage)_. Roman, I made you some Sauerkraut too. I know you like it so much."

The look on both Leni and Siaki's faces was priceless, their eyes almost popping out of their heads. They were probably expecting some burgers and fries, maybe some pasta, but _what the hell was this?  
_  
"So, where's Seth? Why didn't you bring him? Is he still so unbelievably sexy?" Heike asked with a mischievous grin on her face before shoving a fork full of red cabbage into her mouth.

"Uncle Sethie is not sexy, he's cute...only cute. Ugh...sexy...," Leni rolled her eyes in disgust, not believing her auntie just said that.

Her little stomach was rumbling, her eyes watching intently how her daddy cut her and her brother's meat into small pieces so that it was easier for them to eat it. She wished he would hurry up a little bit, she was very hungry.

"Heike, Seth is a married man. Married men shall only have eyes for their own wives. Furthermore, you are very well aware of the fact that you shouldn't get involved with a man that vowed, in front of God I might add, to always stay faithful and h...," Herbert retorted unemotionally, rudely interrupted by his wife who more or less chucked his plate full of food in front of him, the glasses and the cutlery shaking on the table.

Pondering silence filled the room, nobody having the courage to look up, all of them digging into the food although their appetite was obviously lost.

"I can't believe you all act as if nothing ha...," Herbert continued all of a sudden, ignoring the fact that he put his family in a very uncomfortable situation.

"Dad...please...let it go," Karolina pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes. Why didn't he just stop?

She glanced at Roman, realizing that he was trying his hardest not to lose his composure by feeding Siaki, their son surprised too as he had been capable of eating by himself for a long time already.

"Ugh...that's disgusting," Leni's statement cut into the tension, the piece of meat she had just put in her mouth now landing back on her plate. "I don't want to eat this. German meat is bah."

"Leni, I swear to God...behave, just for once, please," Karo sighed in annoyance, rubbing her temples in circling motions with her index and middle fingers, trying to get rid of an impending headache.

While Bettina hurried to get her granddaughter a sausage, being the motherly person that she was, the air was still thick, the tension almost unbearable. This was a nightmare, an absolute nightmare. Herbert was acting childish and selfish. This wasn't his battle to fight. It was Karo's. And it was her who decided to give Roman another chance, hoping that her family would support her in her decision. But she couldn't have been more wrong.

"Please excuse me," Roman said a moment later, his voice small and hushed, laced with hurt.

He quickly left the room, leaving the Schneider family behind, all of them deep in thought.

"Doesn't daddy like the meat either?" Leni asked innocently, looking into the direction her father had just left to.

"I'm sure he just needs to use the bathroom, sweetheart," Maximilian tried to ease the situation, smiling at his little niece sweetly.

"Good job, dad. I hope you're proud of yourself," Karo spat, hoping that her children wouldn't listen since her siblings and mother were trying to distract them. "You have no right to be so disrespectful. The way you treat him is unacceptable."

"Karolina, he broke your heart. He c...," Herbert started, surprised that his daughter would talk back to him like that.

"I know what he did, dad. I was on the receiving end of it. But I have forgiven him. I love this man. And I want him in my life. My kids _need_ him in theirs. I don't expect you to forget, but at least have the decency to treat him with respect, especially with our children around."

And with that, she excused herself, needing some fresh air. Just to get away from her father and the situation at hand.

She had no idea that things would escalate so quickly. If she had known, she would have stopped Roman from planning this trip. Yes, maybe he deserved to suffer. Maybe this was a way of letting him feel what he had put her through, but her father went too far.

And for the first time ever from all the times she had come to visit her family and Germany, she wanted to go back. Home. To Pensacola.

 **...**

"Do you have a minute, Sir?" Roman asked overly politely, joining his father-in-law on the back porch, the older man staring into space, clearly lost in thought.

The disastrous lunch a few hours before was still heavy on everybody's mind, but Roman didn't want to go back to Florida without having cleared the air. It was his responsibility to make things right again. Even if Karo insisted that he didn't have to, saying that her father was to blame for the tension that overshadowed their visit.

"Have a seat," Herbert retorted in a low voice, motioning to the rocking chair next to his with his head.

An awkward and uncomfortable silence surrounded them. Herbert didn't know what to say whereas Roman didn't know where to start. But there was no way the Samoan would or could keep his thoughts to himself. Not anymore.

"I did the unforgivable when I cheated on Karolina. A woman who has given me nothing but love and her trust," Roman started, staring straight ahead, just like his father-in-law. "She is the best wife a man could ask for. She is caring, loving, faithful...and so incredibly beautiful. And man, what an amazing mother she is to Leni and Siaki."

He glanced sideways, seeing that Herbert was nodding his head in agreement, his heart beating fast in his chest.

"There is no need for me to try and explain to you why I did what I did. Frankly, there is no explanation, no excuse. Nothing, there's nothing. I fucked up, big time. I can't ask for you forgiveness if I can't even forgive myself for what I did," he continued, licking his suddenly very dry lips. He was so incredibly nervous. "You, as a married man, know that it's not always sunshine and roses. It still isn't. Karo and I, we have a long way to go, we are going to get help, we want to trust each other again, to the fullest. I took the easy way out. But the easiest way most of the times is not the most logical or best one. All I can do is apologize. Over and over again. And prove to her, and to you all, that I'm serious about this. Serious about winning her heart back, about wanting to make her happy again. I swear to God, I kiss the fucking ground she walks on. Herbert, I have never loved anyone the way I love your daughter. She's given me the greatest gift a woman can give to a man. My beautiful children. I can never repay her for that. Karolina is my everything, my whole world. Yes, it's a shame that I haven't realized this before. I'm ashamed of myself, please...you must believe me that I am. But I'm begging you, for her and for our children, to please give me your blessing."

Herbert took a deep breath, finally facing Roman, a frown on his face. "A blessing for what?"

"For renewing our weddings vows. Tomorrow, in the cathedral of Munich," Roman clarified, hope evident in his voice and also shining in his eyes. "I know I might jump the gun, but I feel that this is something that I need to do. No, that's not the way to put it...It's something that I wholeheartedly _want_ to do. It's a surprise. She doesn't know anything yet. Our friends and part of my family is flying in this evening. It's...please...it would mean a lot to me."

Herbert was speechless, having expected anything but this. He was shocked. He had no idea Roman was so serious about all of this. Apart from being shocked, however, he was impressed. Impressed by Roman's insight and the love he had for his daughter. He was sure his son-in-law meant every word he had just said. And he had to give him credit for that.

"I'm mad at you for breaking her heart, for breaking her spirit...and for breaking her as a woman and a person. I _hated_ you for doing this to her. She didn't deserve this. No matter what went wrong between you two, there is no justification for unfaithfulness and infidelity. I expected better from you, Roman. I thought you were the bigger man. More mature. You disappointed me," Herbert started, his voice low but firm. "But my little girl loves you. She loves you so much...there are no words for it. And your children, my grandchildren, they...you mean the world to them. Maybe I need to man up and swallow my pride. If she can forgive you, so should I. I just need a little more time. But yes...yes, you have my blessing."

The weight that Roman was carrying on his shoulders finally vanished, a grateful smile gracing his features. He was so unbelievably relieved.

"Thank you so much. You have no idea how much it means to me. That...wow...that just made me so happy," Roman stuttered nervously, the smile never leaving his face.

"Make my daughter happy, Roman. That's all that matters," Herbert concluded, finally patting Roman on the shoulder.

What a turn of events.

 **...**

"What is this all about, Roman?" Karolina asked confused when Roman ushered her into Heike's car, her mother Bettina and their daughter Leni already in the backseat while Heike was behind the wheel, ready to go.

"Please...just trust me, ok? The boys and I will be with you very soon. We still need to pick up...uhm...something," the Samoan replied antsy, pecking her lips sweetly before quickly shutting her car door, not giving her a chance to ask him another question.

As soon as the car drove off, Roman turned around to face Herbert, Maximilian and Siaki. "Okay guys, let's do this."

Since he let Karo's family in on the secret, there was nothing left to explain, all four of them climbing into his rented Audi before rushing off to pick up their friends and his family in the Four Seasons Hotel in the city centre of Munich.

And to nobody's surprise, Dean was the centre of attention in the hotel's lobby, not only entertaining their small circle of friends, but also all the other guests, annoying Shannon to an extent she did not know was even possible.

"Uncle Roooooman," three tiny little voices screamed, Dylan, Joan and Hayley bum-rushing him the moment they spotted him in the entrance.

"Hey you little monsters. I'm happy to see you too," he chuckled when Dylan hugged his leg while he somehow succeeded to catch both Joan and Hayley in his arms.

"You're late, Reigns. I'm tired, hungry and cranky," Dean complained, immediately letting Roman know how he really felt. "Not only that, but I'm not getting any because my wife is jet-lagged."

"Getting any what?" Dylan asked his father innocently, adding to his sour mood.

"Oh wow, what a joy it is to have you here, friends," Roman scoffed mockingly, putting the twin girls back on their feet so that he could greet Seth and Maxine properly. At least these two seemed to be in a good mood.

"Are you excited, man?" Seth wondered, treating everybody with his famous yet annoying laugh when Roman sheepishly nodded his head. "I knew it."

"I hope she's even willing to do this. The moment her sister will ask her to put on the dress, it's a 'go or no'," Roman sighed heavily, running a shaky hand over his goatee.

"Don't worry, Roman. I'm sure she will be so happy. No doubt about that," Maxine tried to convince him, a reassuring smile on her face. "Are we dressed appropriately?"

Roman looked at them all precisely, a smile adorning his face when he saw the identic flower dresses the twins were wearing, and the little tuxedo they put on Dylan. Seth and Dean looked as handsome as ever in their suits and Shannon and Maxine...they were a sight for sore eyes in their rose, loose-fitting dresses.

"Honestly, you guys look fabulous. Thank you so much for being here," he breathed, once again pulling Maxine close.

"You hugged her twice. I'm jealous. What about me?" Shannon whined, appearing in his view out of nowhere. "You don't love me anymore because I'm jet-lagged? Pff, you're an ass."

Roman couldn't help but chuckle, swiftly wrapping his arms around Shannon's shoulders and hugging her close, placing a kiss on top of her head. "There...better?"

"Kinda...yeah...but hey, look, your family is coming," Shan announced, seeing them approach behind him, knowing that it was time for her to step back. They all knew how important family was to Roman. Then again, he considered them all family as well. He was such a good-natured guy.

"Roman...my baby...," Patricia rejoiced, quickly making her way over to her baby boy, embracing him as tightly as she possibly could. "It's so good to see you. I missed you."

"Mom, it's only been three days," Roman chuckled, kissing her forehead softly.

"Don't tell me you're getting married like this," a deep, raspy voice rumbled, making the younger man grin. His father, as always.

"The tuxedo is in the car, dad. I couldn't spoil the surprise just yet. Plus, I'm not really getting married, technically," he countered, hugging Sika and sighing happily when his father patted him on the back. "I'm so glad you guys could make it."

He couldn't believe his luck when he caught a glimpse of his sisters and brother, all of them smiling at him, thoroughly happy. He had no idea that they would accompany their parents, a surprise that made him so happy that he couldn't even find the right words to express his feelings.

He embraced them all in a group hug, kissing his sisters' cheeks lovingly before fist-bumping his brother Matt, enjoying this moment to the fullest.

"As much as I cherish to see the love between all of you, we need to hurry up. The mass will start in 30 minutes and we don't want to be late, now we do?" Patty shouted, clapping her hands together to get everyone's attention. "Let's go."

And whenever his mother spoke up, everybody listened...There was no arguing that.

 **...**

"Okay, what's all of this about?" Karolina asked confused once her mother, sister and daughter re-entered the hotel room they had put her in 20 minutes before, leaving her all by herself. "And what the hell are you wearing there?"

Bettina, Heike and Leni were completely dolled up, all of them wearing beautiful dresses, their hair braided and light make-up gracing their features.

"It's time to spill the beans, I guess," Heike chuckled, turning slightly to face her mother, without saying a word asking her to hand her the dress that was still hidden in a white duffel bag.

"I'm sooo excited that mommy is getting married," Leni was ecstatic, giving them a huge, partly toothless, smile.

"I'm getting married?" Karo shrieked, her eyes big and full of surprise.

"Way to go, little one. She never beats around the bush, does she?" Bettina laughed, caressing Leni's cheek lovingly. "But yes, you're getting married, sweetheart. Roman asked us to keep this a secret, but he wants to renew your wedding vows. Here in Munich. In the _'Liebfrauenkirche'_ cathedral."

"I always wanted to get married there when I was a little girl," Karo mused, the statement not directed at anyone in particular. She was speechless. And deeply touched.

"Roman remembered. And has planned everything well in advance," Heike smiled at her younger sister, squeezing her shoulder lovingly. "Come on, let's get you ready. I'm sure the groom can't wait to see his bride in her dress."

 **...**

The dress was simple yet extravagant, the champagne-coloured material embroidered with several Swarovski crystals which reflected in different colours once they were met by the sunrays. It hugged her body in all the right places, the top part clinging to her chest while it was flowing freely from her waist downwards. She looked beautiful, absolutely stunning.

"See you inside, sis," Heike winked at Karolina, taking Leni by the hand after the little girl kissed her mother goodbye, leaving the 'bride' behind with Bettina.

"Are you excited, sweetheart?" her mother asked, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her daughter's face.

"Excited, nervous, scared...the list goes on and on. You choose," she mumbled, not believing she was standing in front of the cathedral that she always dreamed of getting married in. Thinking about the fact that Roman remembered this tiny little detail, it made her fall in love with him even more.

"Daddy...," Karo breathed the moment her father stepped out of the cathedral, dressed in an unbelievably beautiful suit, her right hand covering her mouth. She was so surprised to see him there.

"That boy loves you, Karolina. There is no stopping a man who's in love," Herbert replied without her even needing to ask the question.

He watched in awe as his wife kissed their daughter's forehead softly, squeezing his hand lovingly before disappearing into the church, leaving father and daughter alone.

"Let's not keep him waiting. He's really nervous," Herbert chuckled, offering his daughter his arm, smiling at her proudly when she linked her arm with his.

"Let's do this," she said quietly, nodding her head to emphasize her statement, beaming at him when he mimicked her motion.

Her breath got caught in her throat the moment her eyes landed on her husband. He looked so handsome in his black, custom-tailored tuxedo, his hair in a neat man-bun on top of his head, just how she liked it. His goatee was perfectly trimmed and the way his greyish eyes shone when he looked at her made him all the more gorgeous. Oh, how she loved that man.

"Auntie Karo," she heard a tiny voice call, sounding throughout the cathedral, her eyes searching the people sitting in the front rows close to the altar, her heart almost stopping a beat when she spotted her friends and the Reigns family.

She couldn't help but chuckle when Shannon scolded Dylan for screaming in church, the little boy so excited to see his aunt that he just couldn't help it. Joan and Hayley waved at her excitedly while the adults just smiled at her in admiration, blowing her kisses. She was sure she was the happiest girl in the whole world in that very moment.

Karolina tensed up when her father put her hand into Roman's, the two men staring at each other intently. "Take good care of her, son. I trust you."

A sob escaped Karo's lips when two of the most important men in her life hugged. She was so immeasurably happy that she wanted to hug each and every person in that cathedral. But looking at the minister in front of them, she knew that he was eager to start, a smile gracing his face.

"You're crazy, Roman," she sniffled, completely overwhelmed, taking a deep breath before she would break down crying tears of happiness.

"Crazy in love with you, yes," he agreed, kissing her lips sweetly. "You look so beautiful. Wow."

He softly took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers, both of them now turning to face the reverend who smiled at them reassuringly. _Time to get this party started!_

"Karolina and Roman, when you first joined hands and hearts in marriage 7 years ago, you did not know where life would take you. You promised to love, honour and cherish one another through all things. Life has surely brought you both wonderful blessings and difficult challenges over the years. But here you are today, having fulfilled the vows to love, honour and cherish you each made on your wedding day. And God is smiling! As you celebrate here today, and as you reflect back over all the years as husband and wife, do you now wish to reaffirm the vows you took 7 years ago?" the minister spoke, looking at them with an encouraging smile on his face.

"We do," they both responded simultaneously.

"Please face each other and join hands," he asked them, turning his attention to Roman first. "Roman, will you continue to have Karolina as your wife and continue to live in this happy and loving marriage?"

"I will," Roman spoke firmly, without any hesitation.

"Do you reaffirm your love for her, and will you love, honour and cherish her in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her for as long as you both shall live?" the minister continued, nodding his head towards Roman.

"I do," he replied, his voice loud and clear. He wanted to make sure that she understood how serious he was about this.

"And now I ask you, Karolina, will you continue to have Roman as your husband and continue to live in this happy and loving marriage?

"I will," Karolina confirmed, glancing at Roman with so much love, her heart bumping fast in her chest.

"Do you reaffirm your love for him, and will you love, honour and cherish him in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him for as long as you both shall live?"

"Oh yes, I do," she stated, making everybody chuckle.

"Okay, this isn't a write-off then," the minister joked, loosening up a little bit. "Roman, you told me that you have some personal vows you would like to make. Please go ahead."

Roman nodded his head almost imperceptibly, swallowing hard and taking a deep breath. He took a step forward so that he was now facing his bride properly, an insecure smile on his face. But nothing was going to stop him now.

"On our wedding day, I pledged many things to you, including my faithfulness. With great sorrow and regret, I acknowledge that I broke that vow but I realize now the enormity of my mistake. Others come and go, but you are the constant in my life whom I will always love. I believe in this marriage more than ever, and I reaffirm my love and commitment to you. On our wedding day, I pledged to love you in sickness and in health, and for better or worse. In the past I have taken you for granted, and I have done things I am not proud of. And I've been wrong–a lot. Yet through it all, I have loved you so much. I am here today to renew my commitment to you, our special love, and our journey together. I vow that you will always be my number-one priority from this day forward. I promise to be there for you no matter what. I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. The past year has tested all those vows, but our enduring love for one another has prevailed. I come here today, all the way to Germany by the way," he added, once again making everybody laugh. "To make a fresh start, to renew our vows of love, honour, and fidelity, and to reaffirm my love for you. 7 years ago, I promised to love you for as long as we both should live. I never imagined that I would face losing you so soon, or the depths of despair I would feel at that prospect. Today, we are on the other side of the mountain, and I am so ecstatic that I get to continue life's journey by your side. I have always loved you and will always love you. You are part of me, the best part of me. With you by my side, I have grown so much. We have evolved and transformed together. We have endured together, laughed and cried together. We raised a beautiful family together. You are my heart, my best friend, my life. The best thing I ever did was to marry you. I didn't always deserve you, but I always loved you. My vow to you, before God, is to do better, be better. I want to be the best husband I can be for you, for me, for us. I will do my best. This is my promise to you for the rest of my life. Once again, I promise to love you, honour you and keep you, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live."

Single tears were streaming down Karo's cheeks, and even their guests couldn't hold back the sobs, Bettina smiling at her grandson when he wiped her tears away, not understanding why his Granny was crying when this was supposed to be a happy day.

"One of the great blessings of marriage is the joy and responsibility of raising a family. Karolina and Roman have truly been blessed to be the parents of Joshua, Leni and Siaki. As they both renew their vows of marriage today, they also renew their commitment to be loving and caring parents to their children, recognizing with gratefulness the happiness and fulfilment that they have brought to their marriage and family life," the minister continued, asking both Leni and Siaki to join their parents in front of the altar.

Leni took her father's hand, looking up at him with her beautiful greyish eyes, happiness shining in them. Siaki, next to Karolina, his little hand in hers, just looked at the minister excitedly.

"Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid. It encourages and nurtures new life, new experiences, new ways of expressing a love that is deeper than life. On your wedding day you exchanged rings as a symbol of the never-ending circle of love. Rings serve as a reminder of your wedding vows to each other, and your commitment to live in unity, love and happiness," the reverend looked at Leni expectantly, the little girl quickly realizing that he was asking for the rings.

"Here they are, Sir," she said politely, handing him the black velvet box with the rings that Shannon had put in her purse before the ceremony started. "Roman, please repeat after me: I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, with all that I am and all that I have I honour you, and with this ring I thee wed."

After Roman repeated his words and slipped the ring on her finger, it was Karo who took the leftover ring, repeating the minister's words and putting the ring on Roman's finger: "I give you this ring as a symbol of my vow, with all that I am and all that I have I honour you, and with this ring I thee wed."

"I ask that you each remember to continue to cherish each other as special and unique individuals and that you each respect the thoughts and ideas of one another. And most of all, be able to forgive each other, and not hold grudges against one another. Live each day in love with each other, always being there to give love, comfort, and refuge to each other, in good times and bad," the reverend concluded, sensing how relieved the couple in front of him seemed to be after exchanging the vows and the rings.

"Roman and Karolina, today you have renewed the promises and vows you made to each other on your wedding day. You have symbolized the renewal of the marriage union by the joining of hands, the taking of vows, and by exchanging of rings," he stated firmly, looking from the guests, over to the kids until he met Roman and Karolina's eyes. "It is with pleasure that I conclude the ceremony of renewing the vows of marriage that joined you and forever binds you as husband and wife. Please celebrate this renewal of vows with a sign of affection... You may kiss!"

Roman didn't waste any second, his lips meeting Karo's in a sensual, passionate kiss, his hands cupping her cheeks lovingly. They could faintly hear their families cheer and applaud in the background, both of them smiling into the kiss when their children hugged their legs, probably not even fully understanding how special this day was for them.

"I love you I love you I love you," Roman whispered repeatedly, their foreheads touching, his nose rubbing against hers. "You just made me the happiest man on earth."

Karo didn't even know what to say, just staring up into his eyes, a blissful smile on her face. She couldn't believe her luck.

"I always wanted to get married here," was the only thing she came up with, a sob escaping her lips, making Roman chuckle. "You remembered."

"You deserve all the happiness in the world, babygirl," he retorted, kissing her lips sweetly, wanting to continue when she suddenly spoke up again.

"So do you, honey. Please never forget that you deserve all of this just as much," she insisted seriously, wrapping her arms around his neck, trying to ignore the fact that her daughter kept pulling at her dress, wanting her attention.

"Enough PDA for a decade...ugh," Dean interrupted the beautiful moment the married couple was sharing, wrapping his arms around them both. They didn't even realize that a line had formed behind Dean, all of their friends and family members wanting to congratulate them on this special occasion. "I think it's time to have a few beers and celebrate this day. Oh, and Roman...your vows...that was fucking cheesy, man."  
 **  
THE END (For good? Nah...for now, I guess lol)**


End file.
